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Recipes

Sauteed Sugar Snap Peas with Carrots and Honey Glaze

The fresh, summery flavor of sugar snap peas is set off by the sweetness of lightly cooked carrots and a honey glaze. Sweet simplicity. From Farmer John’s Cookbook: The Real Dirt On Vegetables.

Serves 4

1/2–1 pound sugar snap peas
2 medium carrots, peeled
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon honey
freshly ground black pepper

1. Remove the strings from both edges of the pea pods.
2. Cut each carrot into thirds. Slice each third, lengthwise, into quarters so that the slices are about the size and shape of the sugar snap peas.
3. Place the carrots in a steamer basket set over 1 1/2 inches boiling water, cover, and steam until they are just crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain the carrots in a colander.
4. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sugar snap peas; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Add the carrots. Continue to cook and stir until the peas are bright green and crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Add the honey and cook for 1 more minute, stirring constantly, until the peas and carrots are thoroughly glazed with the honey.
5. Remove the skillet from heat. Season generously with pepper.

Market News

For the last six months, Athens Locally Grown has pretty much been the only game in town for buying locally grown foods. That changed in a hurry this week, as the traditional farmers markets have opened in Athens (Saturday mornings at Bishop Park and starting this Tuesday afternoon downtown at Little Kings Shuffle Club), Watkinsville (Saturday mornings downtown), and Comer (Saturday mornings downtown). And likely other neighboring towns I don’t know about. Many of the Athens Locally Grown growers sell only through here, but the others sell at one or several of these other markets. It’s hard to predict what effect that will have on availability, but I expect at least for these first few weeks some of the larger growers will hold back from here to be sure they have enough produce to make their presence worthwhile at the other markets. As the season progresses and the gardens are all producing more (and the growers themselves find their balance), things will even out again. I think Athens Locally Grown will continue to have the most variety, and is the most convenient way to shop for them, but please also frequent the other markets when you can. They do offer an atmosphere that I just can’t reproduce with our system, and especially do a great job of putting the sense of community front and center.

It’s sometimes hard to remember how deep the Athens local food community is when you’re just looking at a website and running in and out to pick up your order for the week. We try to show that more through our “meet the grower” tables (which will be starting up again soon) and our monthly farm tours and “farmer for a day” events. We’re very lucky to be at Ben’s Bikes, which seems to be an emerging center for the local food community. There is a new permaculture group that has starting meeting every Monday evening at 6pm right there where we have our weekly pickup. The meetings are potluck, so bring a dish, meet likeminded folks, and enjoy the evening. They’ve begun building a community garden right behind the shop, along the creek that was, until recently, completely overrun with kudzu. They’re calling it “The People’s Perennial Peace Garden at Tanyard Creek”, and they’re off to fantastic start. Just up the hillside, on the other side of the church there, is a neighborhood garden that even Sam Gamgee would be proud of. Two years ago, that area was also just a kudzu pile, and now it’s one of the most beautiful vegetable gardens I’ve seen. If you’ve got a few minutes when you come pick up your order, walk or drive right up the hill and take a look. It’s quite an inspiration for what could be done at neighborhoods all across town: neighbors banding together to create a thing of beauty that also gives them a fair measure of food independence.

Also there at Ben’s Bikes, in the part of the building opposite where we meet, folks are busy building a community kitchen. I’m not clear on the details, but the vision is to offer a communal space where people can come in and cook for a group, bring in produce from their gardens to cook and share, and so forth. It’s not a commercial space, so you couldn’t come in and, say, cook up a batch of jam to sell. I’m looking forward to learning more and seeing it all come together.

People have been asking me about the milk lawsuit. To recap the story so far, in October the state of Georgia, acting under orders from the FDA, seized a truckload of milk ALG customers had purchased from a dairy in South Carolina. They ordered the milk to remain on my truck, and then on Monday came out to my house and ordered it all dumped on the ground. Through the Farm to Consumer Legal Defense Fund, we have filed suit against the FDA, arguing on several grounds that they did not have the legal authority to seize and destroy an individual’s legally purchased milk simply because it had crossed state lines after it was purchased. The suit was filed a couple months ago, and the FDA had 60 days to respond. They have done so, and you may be surprised to learn that they claim you have “no absolute right to any particular food”, nor do you have a right to “bodily and physical health”. Their words. You can find a great analysis of their response here at The Complete Patient weblog. We have a further 60 days to respond, and the lawyers are already drawing that up. One thing the FDA claims in their response is “the government has neither brought nor threatened to bring a single enforcement action against consumers who purchase unpasteurized milk for personal consumption.” If they’re saying that, I can’t imagine what they think called it when an FDA agent came to my house, and in front of cameras ordered under the authority of her badge that 110 gallons of privately owned milk, purchased by ALG customers (including myself) for personal consumption, be destroyed. I’d call that an enforcement action, but what do I know? Anyway, I’ll let you know as things develop. It’s a slow process, but I’m hopeful we will prevail.

Thanks so much for your support of Athens Locally Grown and everything we’ve tried to accomplish. With you’re help, we’ve been able to build something truly great and inspirational to people all across the country, more than you could know. Thank you also for your support of all of our growers, local food, and our rights to eat it. You all are part of what makes Athens such a great area in which to live. We’ll see you on Thursday at Ben’s Bikes at the corner of Pope and Broad Streets from 4:30 to 8pm!

Coming Events

Farmer for a Day: MAY 15, Saturday, at Darby Farms (Walton County)

Certified Naturally Grown. Darby Farms is a family owned pasture-based, beyond organic, local-market farm and informational outreach in Walton County. We produce: pastured poultry (eggs, chicken, turkeys, ducks and guinea fowl) and will soon be offering pastured pork. We are in the redemption business: healing the land, healing the food, healing the economy, and healing the culture. Experience the satisfaction of knowing your food and your farmer and building community. We are your clean meat connection. This farm is approximately 27 miles from Athens and it’ll take about 40 minutes to get there. Space is limited, so please make reservations by adding them to your order. You’ll find it under the “Events Reservations” category on the website.

Farmer for a Day: JUNE 13, Sunday, at Sundance Farm (Madison County)

Certified Naturally Grown. We are a family farm growing a diverse variety of vegetables, herbs, flowers, fruits and berries. We also raise chickens, heritage turkeys and goats. Our three children are the heart of our farm. They enjoy the healthy food they help harvest and realize what it takes to get from a seed to the table. We are Certified Naturally Grown and have sold produce in the Athens area since 1998. Currently we sell at Athens Locally Grown, Athens Farmers Market, local restaurants and from the farm. We are also planning a C.S.A. in the near future. We appreciate all the Locally Grown customers that have supported us through the years, allowing us to do what we love, Growing good food. This farm is approximately 13 miles from Athens, and it’ll take 20 minutes to get there. Space is limited, so please make reservations by adding them to your order. You’ll find it under the “Events Reservations” category on the website.

The Athens Farmers Market is held every Saturday morning at Bishop Park from 8am to noon and every Tuesday evening at Little Kings downtown. It’s a totally separate entity from Athens Locally Grown, but you’ll find many of the same growers at both. And of course, you can learn more about that market on their website.

Please support your local farmers and food producers, where ever you’re able to do so!